1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a safe for deposits, a method of control of the safe for deposits, and a deposit system utilizing the safe for deposits and a method for same, for use in making deposits to a financial institution of sales proceeds at retail stores, large-scale stores and other stores. In particular, this invention relates to a safe for deposits, a method of control of the safe for deposits, and a deposit system utilizing the safe for deposits and a method for same, for use in consigning sales proceeds to a consignment company unrelated to the store, and depositing same to a financial institution.
2. Description of the Related Art
In retail stores, large-scale stores and similar, there is a need to deposit and store cash, gift certificates, and other sales proceeds, and to deposit such sales proceeds with a financial institution. In such deposit processing within a store, security is necessary within the store when storing cash and similar on the store premises, leading to the possibility of the frequent occurrence of theft. Moreover, deposit processing within a store necessitates a safe with a counting function, leading to increased store operating costs.
A method may be adopted in which the nighttime safe of a bank is utilized, so that after the bank is closed, sales proceeds are placed in a special bag, which is inserted into the nighttime safe (see for example Japanese Utility Model Laid-open No. 5-044896 and Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 55-097661). However, in recent years such nighttime safes have become less common, due to issues of bank profitability and other factors, so that often there may exist no nighttime safes in the vicinity of a store. Consequently, and given the frequent occurrence of thefts in recent years, nighttime deposits have become dangerous.
In light of this situation, a method is being adopted in which a portion of the deposit processing at the store is consigned to security and transport companies, and sales proceeds are transported from the store to a financial institution. FIG. 21 explains a conventional sales proceeds deposit processing system at a store. At a retail store or other store 100, a POS (Point of Sale) terminal 102 with a cash drawer is provided in the sales space, and merchandise is registered, and sales are processed. In a back yard of the store 100, a bookkeeping employee 104 performs bookkeeping of the sales cash and gift certificates within the cash drawer of the POS terminal 102, and for example organizes one day's worth of cash and gift certificates and places these in a safe for transport or similar.
The store 100 consigns transport of this cash to the financial institution 110 to a certain cash transport company 120 which reliably transports cash, and a safe for transport, into which the cash has been placed, is transported to the financial institution 110. At the financial institution 110, a cash counting device and computer are used to perform scrutiny 112 of the cash transported by the transport company 120, and deposit data is stored in a customer file 114. Further, money changing of coins and similar necessary for retail sales is performed, and the changed money is transported to the retail store 100 by the transport company or by a financial institution employee.
In this technology of the prior art, the danger involved in cash transport is reduced, but there is a need to perform bookkeeping in the store 100, such as comparing sales data from the POS terminal with the actual cash amount and similar; in particular, when numerous POS terminals are installed in the store, the burden involved can be substantial.
For this reason, a method is conceivable in which a safe is installed in the store, and the collection of cash from each POS terminal and placement in a bag, placement of the bag inside the safe, and transport of the cash bag within the safe are entrusted to a security and transport company, thereby outsourcing bookkeeping tasks. However, during recovery of cash and transport by the consignment company, there is the danger of loss of the cash bag.
Also, because the wrong bag may be placed in the safe or other problems may occur, there may be impediments to recovery of cash bags. Hence it becomes necessary after all to manage cash bags at the store 100.